Nicole Smith is a financial advisor with Merit Financial Advisors in Houston, TX, holding a Series 66 credential and six years of industry experience. She has worked at several firms including Commonwealth Financial Network and OneAmerica Securities. Outside of her advisory role, she is involved in real estate through ownership of NS Commercial & Residential Group, Inc., and serves as a board member for United Against Human Trafficking, where she advises on strategic planning and performance evaluation. Merit Financial Group is a multi-team registered advisory firm serving individual investors, employer-sponsored retirement plans, ESOPs, and institutional clients. The firm offers asset management, financial planning, retirement plan consulting, and employee financial-wellness programs, employing a long-term, diversified investment approach managed by internal and third-party teams.

Brian Raupp is a financial advisor with CORDA Investment Management, LLC in Houston, TX. He holds a Series 65 credential and has 14 years of industry experience, all with CORDA since 2011. CORDA Investment Management is a multi-team registered investment adviser managing approximately $2.0 billion in client assets for over 1,300 clients. The firm offers discretionary portfolio management and integrated financial planning to individuals, including high-net-worth clients, as well as pension consulting, tax preparation, and estate-planning document services through attorney referrals.

Andrew Miller is a CFP® with 24 years of industry experience, currently serving at Independent Solutions Wealth Management, LLC. His prior experience includes roles at NEXT Financial Group and Ameriprise. Miller is also involved in advisory consulting and business development through his affiliations with Independent Solutions Wealth Management and Peak Brokerage Services. Independent Solutions Wealth Management LLC is an SEC-registered advisory firm managing approximately $1.54 billion in client assets, offering financial planning and portfolio management services to individuals, high-net-worth clients, corporate pension and profit-sharing plans, and trusts. The firm emphasizes strategic asset allocation and a manager selection process centered on in-house due diligence and portfolio monitoring.

Lucas Veldhuis is a CFP® with seven years of industry experience, currently serving at The Mather Group, LLC. His prior experience includes roles at Linscomb & Williams, Pathstone, and Cornerstone Advisors, Inc. Before entering financial services, he worked at the Alaska Conservation Foundation for three years. The Mather Group primarily serves high-net-worth individuals, family offices, trusts, corporations, and other entities, offering integrated financial planning, investment management, tax and estate planning guidance, and family office services. The firm uses an evidence-based investment approach with multiple risk-based models and customization options such as direct indexing and ESG portfolios.

Mayobanex Martinez is a financial advisor at Insigneo Advisory Services, LLC with 18 years of industry experience. He holds Series 63 and Series 66 licenses and previously worked at CITIGROUP for 11 years. Martinez is a board member and 26% owner of Space City Fulfillment LLC, a micro-fulfillment and last mile delivery service that is currently not operating. Insigneo Advisory Services, LLC provides investment advisory and portfolio management to individuals, corporations, trusts, and institutional clients, including banking and thrift institutions. The firm offers customized allocations supported by firm-modeled portfolios and third-party research, with investment options spanning equities, fixed income, commodities, REITs, alternative investments, and private placements.

Elisa Fierro is a CFP® with eight years of industry experience, currently serving as a financial advisor at The Mather Group, LLC since 2020. Prior to joining The Mather Group, she worked at Ellevest and Manske Wealth Management. The Mather Group primarily serves high-net-worth individuals, family offices, trusts, and corporations, offering comprehensive financial planning, investment management, tax and estate planning, and family office services. The firm employs an evidence-based investment approach with customizable portfolio options and integrates AI and machine-learning tools to support market data analysis and client communications.

William Leake is a financial advisor with Sequent Planning, LLC who holds Series 63 and Series 65 licenses and has 39 years of industry experience. He has worked at Sequent Planning since 2018 and previously spent five years with Proequities, Inc. In addition to his advisory role, Leake serves as a branch manager at Futurity First Insurance Group, where he is involved in insurance sales. Sequent Planning, LLC is an SEC-registered investment adviser that serves individuals, retirement plan sponsors, small and medium-sized businesses, endowments, and nonprofit organizations. The firm offers asset management, comprehensive financial planning, and retirement-plan services through a network of investment adviser representatives, employing a structured risk framework and diversified investment approaches.

Stewart Jacobson is a CFP®-designated financial advisor with Capital Analysts, based in Sugar Land, TX, with 41 years of industry experience. He has held positions at First Colony Municipal Utility District since 2007, Lincoln Investment Planning, Inc. since 2005, and PMP Research since 1999. Outside of his advisory work, Jacobson serves on the City Council of Sugar Land and is a board member of the ARC of Fort Bend County, a nonprofit supporting individuals with intellectual and developmental disabilities. He is also president and CEO of Dearborn & Creggs Insurance Agency, Inc. Capital Analysts serves a broad client base including individual and high-net-worth investors, trusts, foundations, businesses, and charitable organizations, providing portfolio management and retirement-plan advice. The firm delivers investment services through a combination of discretionary and non-discretionary management, supported by an in-house investment team and a proprietary mutual fund screening process.

Javier Villanueva is a financial advisor at BBVA Global Wealth Advisors, Inc. with three years of industry experience. He previously worked at UBS Financial Services Inc., Merrill, JV Global Capital, GlenMartin, Inc., and CitiBanamex, SA. Villanueva holds Series 63 and Series 65 licenses and is based in Houston, TX. BBVA Global Wealth Advisors, Inc. provides investment advisory services to individuals, high-net-worth clients, businesses, and family offices through a network of financial advisors. The firm constructs investor risk profiles and uses a combination of BBVA S.A.’s fund research and third-party resources to guide strategic and tactical asset allocation across a mix of investment vehicles.

Deborah Sopher is a financial advisor at Trek Financial in Bellaire, TX, with 30 years of industry experience. She holds Series 63 and Series 65 licenses and has worked at Trek Financial since 2010, with prior roles at World Equity Group and Purshe Kaplan Sterling Investments. Outside her work at Trek, she owns a group employee benefits firm, Strategic Benefits Solutions. Trek Financial serves individual and high-net-worth clients as well as institutional retirement plans, offering asset management, financial planning, and retirement-plan services. The firm employs a blend of strategic and tactical investment approaches, incorporating AI tools and a wide range of systematic and alternative strategies in portfolio management.

Brian Ching is a financial advisor with Arax Advisory Partners in Houston, TX, holding a Series 66 designation and seven years of industry experience. Prior to joining Arax in 2026, he worked five years at U.S. Capital Wealth Advisors and has been associated with USCA Securities since 2018. Outside of finance, Ching is involved in sports and hospitality; he serves as an ambassador for the Houston Dynamo Major League Soccer team and owns several Houston-based restaurants and bars, as well as a soccer camp business. Arax Advisory Partners provides wealth management and advisory services to individuals, high-net-worth clients, family offices, institutions, and businesses. The firm offers a range of services including portfolio management, comprehensive financial planning, retirement plan consulting, and private fund advisory, managing assets on a fiduciary basis with both traditional and alternative investment strategies.

David Julian is a CFP® with nine years of industry experience, currently serving as a financial advisor at CORDA Investment Management, LLC since 2025. His prior experience includes roles at Morgan Stanley and UBS Financial Services. In addition to his advisory work, Mr. Julian is involved in estate planning services through HK Legacy Law, PLLC, a separate law firm offering attorney-led estate planning document preparation to CORDA clients. CORDA Investment Management is a multi-team registered investment adviser managing approximately $2.0 billion in client assets for over 1,300 clients. The firm provides discretionary portfolio management and integrated financial planning, serving individuals and retirement plans with customized investment strategies and in-house tax preparation, alongside access to unrelated attorney-led estate planning services.

Caleb La Vergne is a financial advisor at Arax Advisory Partners in Houston, TX, holding a Series 66 designation with one year of industry experience. His prior roles include positions at USCA Securities LLC, US Capital Advisors, and the University of Houston. Outside of finance, he has been involved with local organizations such as the Houston Dog Walking Club and Meadowlake Pet Resort. Arax Advisory Partners provides wealth management and advisory services to individuals, high-net-worth clients, family offices, institutions, and businesses. The firm employs a fiduciary approach using a combination of in-house teams, external managers, and alternative investments, supported by AI tools and third-party analytics.

Thomas Whitby III is a CFP® with 30 years of industry experience, currently advising at Mission Wealth Management, LP since 2025. His prior experience includes roles at Logic Capital Management, LLC for 13 years, LPL Financial for 10 years, and Houston Advisors. He is also appointed with various life insurance and annuity companies. Mission Wealth Management serves high-net-worth individuals, families, and institutional clients by providing wealth management, financial planning, and investment management services. The firm integrates investment management with tax, trust, legacy, philanthropy, and risk planning, utilizing both internal and third-party sub-advisors to tailor portfolios and service tiers to client needs.

Jennifer Marshall is a financial advisor at Chilton Capital Management LLC in Houston, TX, holding a Series 65 designation with two years of industry experience. She has been with Chilton Capital Management since 2020 and previously worked at Westwood Holdings Group, Inc. for 20 years. Chilton Capital Management provides discretionary portfolio management and advisory services to a diverse client base, including individual and institutional investors. The firm employs sector-specialized teams and a fundamental, bottom-up research process focused on long-term capital growth and income, offering a variety of investment strategies and serving clients such as insurance companies and registered investment companies.

Christopher Bourgeois is a financial advisor with World Equity Group, Inc. in Houston, TX, holding Series 63 and Series 65 licenses and bringing 24 years of industry experience. His previous roles include positions at Raymond James Financial, Questar Asset Management, and Securian Financial Services. Outside of advisory work, he is a partner in a business consulting firm focused on executive retention and business transition. World Equity Group, Inc. provides fee-based investment advisory and financial planning services to a range of clients, including individuals, pension plans, trusts, and charitable organizations. The firm offers managed portfolios through its wrap-fee programs that combine discretionary portfolio management, financial planning, and access to third-party money managers.

Ana Salas is a CFP®-certified financial advisor with 25 years of industry experience, currently with intrua Financial. Her prior experience includes roles at Private Advisor Group, LPL Financial, and Concourse Financial Group Securities. She is based in Houston, TX. Intrua Financial is an SEC-registered multi-team advisory firm serving individuals, high-net-worth clients, trusts, foundations, and retirement plans. The firm employs a blend of fundamental, technical, and cyclical analysis to create customized investment strategies and provides a range of advisory and consulting services.

Jeffrey Thompson is a financial advisor at New Edge Wealth with 13 years of industry experience. He holds a Series 66 designation and previously worked for Sanford C. Bernstein & Co., LLC for 14 years. New Edge Wealth primarily serves ultra-high-net-worth individuals, family offices, foundations, trusts, and other institutional clients. The firm focuses on asset allocation and investor behavior to guide portfolio construction, utilizing a combination of independent managers, model strategies, proprietary solutions, and AI-assisted analytics.

Sabrina Ortega is a financial advisor at Linscomb Wealth, Inc. in Houston, TX, holding a Series 66 designation with three years of industry experience. Her prior roles include positions at RBC Capital Markets, Charles Schwab Bank SSB, Charles Schwab & Co., Inc., Frost Bank, Sprint, and Home Depot. Linscomb Wealth provides wealth planning, portfolio management, and investment consulting services to individuals, high-net-worth and ultra-high-net-worth clients, trusts, foundations, and retirement plans. The firm’s approach includes model asset-allocation portfolios, ongoing rebalancing, and collaboration with an internal Investment Committee to customize portfolios based on client goals and restrictions.

Amanda Ton is a financial advisor with Arax Advisory Partners, holding Series 63 and Series 65 licenses and bringing 39 years of industry experience. Her prior roles include positions at U.S. Capital Wealth Advisors, USCA Securities LLC, J.P. Morgan Securities, and Chase Investment Services Corp. Outside of advising, she is the owner of ADATIS Corp & ADATIS Ltd, a holding company for personal real estate investments. Arax Advisory Partners provides wealth management and advisory services to a diverse client base including individuals, high-net-worth clients, family offices, institutions, and businesses. The firm offers discretionary and non-discretionary portfolio management, comprehensive financial planning, and various advisory services, employing a fiduciary approach with in-house and external portfolio management teams utilizing a range of traditional and alternative investments.